Forum changes

[Homebrewale]

FWIW- I don’t know if I’m in the “older demographics” category or not. I’m under 40 but over 30.
Technically a “millennial”

Compared to me, you're a youngster. It is not surprising the board is skewed towards the older demographics. Pools are not cheap.

 

[JamesW]

Meat-a-verse you mean, just like Farcebook. Then, you are right, we won't even need to have a pool.

Facebook is now called Meta, which is short for Metacortex, which is the company that Neo worked for in the Matrix.

Coincidence?

I think not!

 

[Mdragger88]

Compared to me, you're a youngster. It is not surprising the board is skewed towards the older demographics. Pools are not cheap.

I was thinking the same thing- generally around 25 & over is probably the core demographic as they are more likely to have a house w/a pool.
I don’t think the more modern interface is meant to be directed at the snapchat crowd. I find it to be continuously more intuitive & easier to navigate than the other more primitive forums I use. None of the “bugs” or new features are so irritating that they deter me too much. I can’t say the same for some of the other forums. I do greatly appreciate the majority of the updates & the ask for collective input.

 

[ajw22]

On the Card view ...

My workflow is I first review the alerts and open those threads.

Then in the list view the color of the link indicates if I have read the thread or there are new messages in it.

Also my avatar hangs on the lower right of the avatar I have replied to.

The Card view has neither of these UI clues. The link color is not changed and there is no indication it is a thread I participated in.

So after handling the alert threads I scroll through the thread view looking for threads I have participated in that are still unread. The alert system has some bugs and it misses some alerts.

Thirdly I then scroll through threads looking for topics of interest that I have not read.

I cannot use the Card view because it does not differentiate threads I read or are unread and threads I have participated in.

This UI has inconsistencies between the views.

 

[Leebo]

Compared to me, you're a youngster. It is not surprising the board is skewed towards the older demographics. Pools are not cheap.

I was thinking the same thing- generally around 25 & over is probably the core demographic as they are more likely to have a house w/a pool.

I’m still listening to feedback as I really am looking to improve things. That said, I’d like to chime in on these two comments as it may offer a peak into my head……..

I wish around 25 year olds were included in the demographic of TFP, but they’re not. If I’d have to pull a number out of a hat I’d say somewhere around 45 or so is the average on TFP. Younger members in their 20’s just aren’t here much it seems. This to me leaves a HUGE market to aim for as the youngin’s become homeowners……and this younger market is who I’m trying to capture.

 

[HermanTX]

My first step is to always look at the alerts or conversations to see if a response is needed or to see an update by the OP. I like that it has a colored dot to let me know if I still need to check on that topic because the little numbers go away after the initial access to that.

I then go to the Unanswered Threads list to see if there is anything that I can either follow because it has an interesting subject matter or provide feedback to.
The 3rd stop is at the New Content forum. I always go to List view because there is more threads per page for easier review. I look for interesting topics. I like that it has a notation that I am already following that thread so I do not need to go to it again unless there is another notification of a new post.
If I see a post with 15 or more posts (thats an arbitrary number) I rarely go to it because I assume it is being handled. However, I may still go to it if it relates to a piece of equipment I have as it may have some benefit in the long term. If it does, I bookmark it.

One thing I am confused about is “following”. I have marked several experts to follow but I do not get any feedback or notice about anything they post unless I have purposefully marked that thread to follow or I have commented on it which than automatically marks it to notify you of additional posts. So I do not understand the purpose of “following someone”.

Hope this provides some insight.

 

[Leebo]

The 3rd stop is at the New Content forum. I always go to List view because there is more threads per page for easier review.

May I ask, do you primarily use a phone or computer when surfing? I ask as both the list and cards load 30 threads before hitting “load more.”

 

[HermanTX]

May I ask, do you primarily use a phone or computer when surfing? I ask as both the list and cards load 30 threads before hitting “load more.”

Primarily on computer and occasionally on iPad. Rarely on a phone unless I am stuck in a doctors office or similar and want something to read. I just find the list view easier to read. I did like the card view initially when it became active as it gave a full view of the original post, but if it was not something that interests me, I found it cumbersome to scroll past it. So now I just click on the list view.

 

[Mdragger88]

I only use my phone - I have only used a computer to view tfp a handful of times over the years. Like because my phone was broken.
The phone is always there lol. I’m sure most younger people are viewing on phones as well. Kinda hard not to when google is in your pocket & u have a pool problem.
The card view takes up more screen space (less threads per scroll) so I find it a bit cumbersome as well. Seeing pretty pics is nice though.
1 or maybe 2 threads at once for card vs 4 for the list view. Not sure how combining the good functions of both features can be accomplished- which I assume is the ultimate goal- aside from giving the card view all the ui features of the list view.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

I’m still listening to feedback as I really am looking to improve things. That said, I’d like to chime in on these two comments as it may offer a peak into my head……..

I wish around 25 year olds were included in the demographic of TFP, but they’re not. If I’d have to pull a number out of a hat I’d say somewhere around 45 or so is the average on TFP. Younger members in their 20’s just aren’t here much it seems. This to me leaves a HUGE market to aim for as the youngin’s become homeowners……and this younger market is who I’m trying to capture.

25 year olds for the most part hire everything out. And I mean EVERYTHING! "Oh no! Don't paint your bedroom yourself, have a 'Pro' do it!". Hear stuff like that ALL the time on the local social media for the area. At least they do in my new-construction neighborhood. I hope that changes over time.. maybe inflation will cause some of them to DIY. But until they do, you won't attract most of them here.

But if they do that their entire life, they will die at their desk at work....

It's sad, but at 52, not only do I now sound like my parents, but I sound like my GRANDPARENTS. But you know... they were right....

Here is the deal as an example: and correct me if you disagree.. yes they taste like Plastic...have for awhile. But my parents said that Twinkies tasted a LOT better as a kid then they did when I was a kid. My Grandparents said they were better when they were kids.

I know that Twinkies in the late 70's were much better than now. So why shouldn't I believe my parents and grandparents? And I suspect that's true on 95%+ of what they claim....

 

[Mdragger88]

I think they’re here - but just looking .
It is the information age after all.
I feel most people probably go down that path for some time before taking the leap to create an account. I know I did. I had just turned 30 when I began lurking on the forum. I wasn’t really lurking I guess but every question I typed into google led me here pretty much every time as other search results had no meat behind them.
I followed the advice given to others about my same plights & it worked! Before long I just started adding “tfp” to the end of my google searches. Later I had fewer critical questions to search answers for as I had it pretty much figured out & was just gathering general info.
It took me several years before I actually had a question that hadn’t already been answered in an existing thread. That’s when I finally created my account.
Like I said- they’re here, watching, reading & learning. You just can’t track their demographics because they aren’t logged in.
Every time I post I try to remember that as I type my reply. “What will the guy/gal who landed on (x) thread from their random google search take away from this?”

 

[Newdude]

This to me leaves a HUGE market to aim for as the youngin’s become homeowners……and this younger market is who I’m trying to capture.

So it’s well known that younger folks aren’t buying houses, and haven’t been for quite some time. *insert avacado toast joke*. But even with renting, many buy starter pools. What they do DO is google EVERYTHING unlike many of us older folks. That will bring them here and maybe cancel it all out.

 

[Homebrewale]

I wouldn't say the older folks don't Google everything. I'm 58 and searching the internet is one of the best things to come along for a DIY person like myself. Don't know how to replace the heating coil in your clothes dryer? There's a Youtube video for that. It's how I actually ended up here. The challenge I think is keeping them here. They read one thing here and five other websites provide the "pool store" advice. Will they come to the conclusion that the pool store advice must be right since more websites promote it?

 

[Homebrewale]

May I ask, do you primarily use a phone or computer when surfing? I ask as both the list and cards load 30 threads before hitting “load more.”

I have confirmed both views load 30 threads. For me, more important is the number per screen. I can see 3 threads using card view and 9 threads using list view. There is less scrolling with the list view. But it is great to provide both options so people can pick how they would like to view the site.

 

[Newdude]

wouldn't say the older folks don't Google everything

It’s getting better for sure. I myself have become my ‘own’ appliance guy (etc). But the younger folks will shamelessly whip out their phones right in the showroom of the pool store and prove them wrong on the spot. No worries Leslie’s. I got an answer. See ya.

 

[Leebo]

A few more quick questions………

1. For those whom are using the card view, how’s the speed loading the page when you click “New Content?”

2. Has anybody got feedback on the “Hot” page? Not so much looking for feedback on the interface, but the quality of threads shown. Are the ones there ones you’d kinda like to click on from time to time?

3. Anybody here ventured to the “Media” feed? I’m very pleased with the numbers so far for this feed, but does anybody have feedback for it?

 

[YippeeSkippy]

……and this younger market is who I’m trying to capture.

Why?!?! Why?@?!@?@ Aren't we old folks good enough for ya??! I'm sensing some "age discrimination" here.....<givin' Lee the stink eye as I use my walker to get away>

Maddie

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Card view is horrible and won't go away. If this can't be easily fixed, can you at least not make it the default for now?

Overall, I didn't think the forum was broken. But you fixed it anyway.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

I miss separate "pages"....I can review posts and know where I've been and what I want to read next. This never-ending page gets tiresome especially when I want to look away or walk off to grab a cup of tea, I come back and its just that never-ending page again. Where was I, I wonder??

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

I miss separate "pages"....I can review posts and know where I've been and what I want to read next. This never-ending page gets tiresome

Agreed. The interesting thing is that we seem to have a hybrid here. I get to the bottom and it says "Load more". But if I scroll back up to the top, I still see the old page list and can go to the next page.